Interdisciplinary Studies

IDS 3300 Foundations of Civic Engagement

In the Foundations course, students complete a common assignment that advances the university-wide learning outcome of “Community Awareness and Involvement” and that allows students to complete 10 hours of service learning. The assignment includes three parts: the analysis of an issue in the community and the completion of a project proposal that addresses this issue; the completion of a service activity that addresses the issue and that advances civic engagement; and the completion of a reflective essay that analyzes civic contexts and structures and student learning. Click here for the Project Assignment piloted Fall 2009.

A common rubric was developed for assessing the project proposal and the reflective essay; the rubric is based on AAC&U’s VALUE project (Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education), combining the problem solving and civic engagement rubrics. The assessment of the proposal and essay provides a direct measure of student learning. Click here for the Civic Engagement Project Rubric.

Finally, students also completed a Pre- and Post-Test as a self-assessment of their understanding of civic engagement, providing an indirect measure of student learning in the course. In the future, students will be asked to assess their own work using the rubric, providing an indirect measure that can be correlated to the direct measure. Click here for the Pre-and Post-Test.